This invention relates generally as indicated to a cushioning conversion system and method for making a coil of cushioning product.
In the process of shipping an item from one location to another, a protective packaging material is typically placed in the shipping container to fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process. Also, with particular reference to a relatively large and/or heavy item (such as, for example, large pieces of industrial equipment), protective packaging material may be used to block or brace the item during shipping. Some commonly used protective packaging materials are plastic foam peanuts and plastic bubble pack. While these conventional plastic materials seem to perform adequately as cushioning products, they are not without disadvantages. Perhaps the most serious drawback of plastic bubble wrap and/or plastic foam peanuts is their effect on our environment. Quite simply, these plastic packaging materials are not biodegradable and thus they cannot avoid further multiplying our planet""s already critical waste disposal problems. The non-biodegradability of these packaging materials has become increasingly important in light of many industries adopting more progressive policies in terms of environmental responsibility.
These and other disadvantages of conventional plastic packaging materials have made paper protective packaging material a very popular alterative. Paper is biodegradable, recyclable and renewable; making it an environmentally responsible choice for conscientious companies.
While paper in sheet form could possibly be used as a protective packaging material, it is usually preferable to convert the sheets of paper into a low density cushioning product. This conversion may be accomplished by a cushioning conversion machine, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,026,198; 4,085,662; 4,109,040; 4,237,776; 4,557,716; 4,650,456; 4,717,613; 4,750,896; 4,968,291; 5,061,543; 5,123,889; 5,188,581; 5,211,620; 5,322,477; 5,387,173; 5,468,208; 5,542,232; 5,571,067; 5,593,376; and 5,607,383. (These patents are all assigned to the assignee of the present invention and their entire disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference.)
A cushioning conversion machine, such as those disclosed in the above-identified patents, includes a conversion assembly which converts sheet-like stock material, preferably paper in multi-ply form, into a low density strip of cushioning product. In the above-identified patents, the conversion assembly includes a forming assembly and a feed assembly. During operation of the machine, a stock supply assembly supplies the stock material to the forming assembly. The forming assembly causes inward turning of the lateral edges of the sheet-like stock material to form a strip having lateral pillow-like portions and a central band therebetween. The feed assembly advances the stock material through the forming assembly, preferably by pulling the stock material through the forming assembly with a set of rotating gear-like members which also coin the central band of the continuous strip to form a strip of cushioning.
When using the packaging material produced by a cushioning conversion machine as void fill and/or cushioning, the strip of cushioning is usually cut into sections of a desired length, usually within a range between six inches and forty-eight inches. To this end, a cushioning conversion machine will usually include a cutting or severing assembly, positioned downstream of the conversion assembly, which cuts or severs the strip of cushioning into sections of desired lengths. In any event, the cut sections are then individually placed in the shipping container to fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process.
When using the packaging material produced by a cushioning conversion machine to block or brace a relatively large and/or heavy item during shipping, the strip of cushioning may be xe2x80x9cwound upxe2x80x9d in a coil configuration to form a xe2x80x9ccoilxe2x80x9d of cushioning product. The coil of cushioning product may then be placed in the shipping container and the large/heavy item placed thereon. Another coil of cushioning product may be placed on top of the item if necessary or desired. The blocking and bracing ability of such a coil of cushioning product is quite satisfactory, for example, it is easily capable of supporting the weight of an average man.
In the past, coils of cushioning product have been produced by using a cushioning conversion machine to convert sheet-like stock material into a strip of cushioning product of a specified length and then having packaging personnel manually roll or wind this strip of cushioning product into a coiled configuration, in a manner similar to rolling up a sleeping bag after a night of camping. Alternatively, packaging personnel have stood at the outlet of the cushioning conversion machine and rolled the strip of cushioning product into a coil as it is emitted from the machine. While perhaps effective, the characteristics of the coiled configuration (for example, tightness, axial alignment, etc.) are somewhat dependent upon the individual packager""s efforts, skill, and other arbitrary factors, thus there is always the risk of inconsistency between coils. With particular reference to the first procedure, it can be time and/or space consuming, in that it requires the xe2x80x9cstraightxe2x80x9d strip of cushioning product to be placed in a designated (hopefully neither dirty nor dusty) area prior to being rolled or coiled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,776 discloses a transfer vehicle which receives a predetermined amount of dunnage pad (or, in other words, a strip of cushioning product of a specified length) from a cushioning conversion machine and winds the strip of cushioning product into a roll. This transfer vehicle is designed for subsequent transfer of the rolled strip of cushioning product to a packaging area distant from the cushioning conversion machine whereat the rolled strip of cushioning product is pulled from the transfer vehicle, cut into sections of desired length, and the cut sections are used for packaging purposes. The patent states that this arrangement enables xe2x80x9cthe dunnage pad product to be utilized in various areas of an establishment without the necessity of having a dunnage producing machine located at each area wherein use of dunnage is desired.xe2x80x9d Consequently, this prior art transfer vehicle is not designed to provide a coil of cushioning product which remains in a coiled configuration when used for packaging purposes.
Accordingly, a need remains for a cushioning conversion system or method which allows the convenient and consistent coiling of a strip of cushioning product into a coil of cushioning product which may be used for packaging purposes.
The present invention provides a cushioning conversion system and method for making a coil of cushioning product. The system includes a cushioning conversion machine and a coiler. The cushioning conversion machine includes a conversion assembly which converts a sheet-like stock material into a strip of cushioning product and has an outlet through which the strip of cushioning product is emitted. The coiler rolls the strip of cushioning product into a coiled configuration to form a coil of cushioning product.
According to one preferred aspect of the invention, the coiler is shaped and positioned to receive the strip of cushioning product as it is emitted from the outlet and to allow the coil of cushioning product to be removed in its coiled configuration.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the cushioning conversion system includes a guide device which guides the strip of cushioning product from the cushioning conversion machine""s outlet to the coiler. The guide device includes at least one portion, and preferably two portions, which move to accommodate the strip of cushioning product as the diameter of the coil of cushioning product increases. Specifically, the portions of the guide device are hinged so that they may be pivoted between a coil-begin position whereat they accommodate the strip of cushioning product at the beginning of the formation of the coil, and a coil-complete position whereat it accommodates the strip of cushioning product at the completion of the formation of the coil, and a plurality of positions therebetween. In the coil-begin position, the portions of the guide device extend from the cushioning conversion machine""s outlet to the coiler""s center of rotation; and in the coil-complete position, the portions extend from the cushioning conversion machine""s outlet to a circumferential portion of the completed coil of cushioning product. In this manner, the guide device resembles a xe2x80x9cduck billxe2x80x9d as it opens to accommodate the increasing diameter of the coil of cushioning product. The portions of the guide device may additionally be movable to coil-release position whereat the portions extend from the cushioning conversion machine""s outlet to a point even beyond the circumferential portion of the coil of cushioning product.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the cushioning conversion system includes a controller which controls the coiler based on the cushioning conversion machine. The controller includes a strip-production indicator which indicates whether a strip of cushioning product is being produced by the cushioning conversion machine and/or a ready-to-coil indicator which indicates whether the coiler is in a condition ready to begin coiling a strip of cushioning product. The controller controls the coiler based on input from these indicators. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the controller activates the coiler if the strip-production indicator indicates that a strip of cushioning product is being produced and if the ready-to-coil indicator indicates that the coiler is ready; and the controller deactivates the coiler (after a suitable delay) if the strip-production indicator indicates that cushioning product is no longer being produced by the cushioning conversion machine.
These and other features of the coiler, the guide device, and the controller when used individually in a cushioning conversion system, or collectively as preferred, allow the convenient and consistent coiling of a strip of cushioning product into a coil of cushioning product which may be used for packaging purposes. With particular reference to the guide device and the controller, they possess certain features which are advantageous when making a coil of cushioning product which remains in its coiled configuration when used as a packaging product. However, these features may also be advantageously incorporated into a system where a strip of cushioning product is coiled into a coil configuration, and then later uncoiled for use as a packaging product, such as, for example, the transfer vehicle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,776.